Review of Licorice Pizza (2021) by R96Sk — 18 Jan 2022

I can't say I enjoyed 'Licorice Pizza' as much as most, but this flick from Paul Thomas Anderson is a good one.

Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman are entertaining in the lead roles, with Haim particularly standing out - though Philip Seymour Hoffman's kid definitely improves as the film ticks by. There are some amusing roles for more well known faces, my favourite parts of this 2021 release are in fact with one of them - funny stuff with a certain someone (won't spoil who, just in case) who made his film debut in 'Wet Hot American Summer'! Some parts are amiss, mind; e.g. the strange Japanese wives bits.

I did find the dialogue a little pretentious I can't lie, mainly early on as we get to know the characters - once everything is fleshed out and set it's all shipshape, to be fair. The film gets a tad aimless near the end, I'd actually say the pacing is perfectly fine but it does feel as long as it is in terms of the run time - I felt every second of the 130 or so minutes.

All in all, I'd recommend it. Major film buffs will lap it up, evidently.